Pre-condensing PCV system

Abstract

A positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system for an internal combustion engine having an air induction system configured to supply air to the includes a PCV line configured to fluidly couple between a crankcase of the engine and the air induction system, a condenser disposed on the PCV line and configured to condense water vapor and fuel vapor contained in blow-by gases received from the crankcase to separate the water vapor and fuel vapor from the blow-by gases and form a water/fuel mixture and a lean blow-by gas, and an oil separator disposed on the PCV line and configured to receive the lean blow-by gas from the condenser and separate oil therefrom to form a filtered blow-by gas for return to the air induction system.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system for an internal combustion engine having an air induction system configured to supply air to the engine, the PCV system comprising:
 a PCV line configured to fluidly couple between a crankcase of the engine and the air induction system; 
 a condenser disposed on the PCV line and configured to condense water vapor and fuel vapor contained in blow-by gases received from the crankcase to separate the water vapor and fuel vapor from the blow-by gases and form a condensed water/fuel mixture and a lean blow-by gas with suspended oil, the condenser having a condensate outlet to receive the condensed water/fuel mixture, and a gas outlet to receive the lean blow-by gas with suspended oil; and 
 an oil separator disposed on the PCV line and configured to receive the lean blow-by gas from the condenser and separate oil therefrom to form a filtered blow-by gas for return to the air induction system. 
 
     
     
       2. The PCV system of  claim 1 , wherein the condenser is disposed on the PCV line upstream of the oil separator. 
     
     
       3. A positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system for an internal combustion engine having an air induction system configured to supply air to the engine, the PCV system comprising:
 a PCV line configured to fluidly couple between a crankcase of the engine and the air induction system; 
 a condenser disposed on the PCV line and configured to condense water vapor and fuel vapor contained in blow-by gases received from the crankcase to separate the water vapor and fuel vapor from the blow-by gases and form a water/fuel mixture and a lean blow-by gas; 
 an oil separator disposed on the PCV line and configured to receive the lean blow-by gas from the condenser and separate oil therefrom to form a filtered blow-by gas for return to the air induction system; and 
 a fuel/water separator fluidly coupled to the condenser to receive the water/fuel mixture therefrom, the fuel/water separator configured to separate the water/fuel mixture into fuel and water. 
 
     
     
       4. The PCV system of  claim 3 , wherein the fuel/water separator is fluidly coupled to a vehicle fuel tank to supply the separated fuel thereto. 
     
     
       5. The PCV system of  claim 1 , wherein the condenser comprises a housing defining an inner chamber, a blow-by gas inlet, a condensate outlet, and a blow-by gas outlet. 
     
     
       6. The PCV system of  claim 5 , wherein the condenser further comprises a coolant tube configured to fluidly couple to a source of coolant, the coolant tube extending within the inner chamber between a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, and the coolant tube configured to cool the blow-by gas in the inner chamber and condense the fuel vapor and water vapor contained in the blow-by gas in the inner chamber. 
     
     
       7. A positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system for an internal combustion engine having an air induction system configured to supply air to the engine, the PCV system comprising:
 a PCV line configured to fluidly couple between a crankcase of the engine and the air induction system; 
 a condenser disposed on the PCV line and configured to condense water vapor and fuel vapor contained in blow-by gases received from the crankcase to separate the water vapor and fuel vapor from the blow-by gases and form a water/fuel mixture and a lean blow-by gas; and 
 an oil separator disposed on the PCV line and configured to receive the lean blow-by gas from the condenser and separate oil therefrom to form a filtered blow-by gas for return to the air induction system, 
 wherein the condenser comprises a housing defining an inner chamber, a blow-by gas inlet, a condensate outlet, and a blow-by gas outlet, 
 wherein the condenser is thermally coupled to a water jacket of the internal combustion engine such that coolant in the water jacket is configured to cool the condenser housing to thereby cool the inner chamber and condense the fuel vapor and water vapor contained in the blow-by gas in the inner chamber. 
 
     
     
       8. The PCV system of  claim 7 , wherein the condenser housing further comprises a plurality of protrusions extending inwardly from the housing into the inner chamber, the plurality of protrusions configured to be cooled by the water jacket coolant to provide a cooled surface area for condensing the fuel vapor and water vapor contained in the blow-by gas in the inner chamber. 
     
     
       9. The PCV system of  claim 1 , wherein the oil separator comprises a housing containing a nozzle plate and a separator. 
     
     
       10. The PCV system of  claim 9 , wherein the nozzle plate comprises a plurality of nozzles formed therein configured to accelerate the blow-by gas as it passes therethrough. 
     
     
       11. The PCV system of  claim 9 , wherein the separator comprises a fleece media and an impactor plate. 
     
     
       12. The PCV system of  claim 5 , wherein the condenser is thermally coupled to a water jacket of the internal combustion engine such that coolant in the water jacket is configured to cool the condenser housing to thereby cool the inner chamber and condense the fuel vapor and water vapor contained in the blow-by gas in the inner chamber;
 wherein the condenser housing further comprises a plurality of protrusions extending inwardly from the housing into the inner chamber, the plurality of protrusions configured to be cooled by the water jacket coolant to provide a cooled surface area for condensing the fuel vapor and water vapor contained in the blow-by gas in the inner chamber; 
 wherein the oil separator comprises a housing containing a nozzle plate and a separator; and 
 wherein the nozzle plate comprises a plurality of nozzles formed therein configured to accelerate the blow-by gas as it passes therethrough, and wherein the separator comprises a fleece media and an impactor plate.